NATURAL COLOURED CARDBOARD BOX DECORATED WITH EVERGREEN BRANCHES, CONTAINS A DOUBLE LAYER OF CHRISTMAS BALLS OF ASSORTED DESIGNS AND COLOURS. BOTTOM TRAY HAS 6 SOLID RED, AND ONE SILVER AND BLUE GLASS BALLS. TOP TRAY HAS 18 ASSORTED GLASS BULBS. TRAYS ARE CARDBOARD, AND HAVE A CARDBOARD SHEET SEPERATING THE TWO LAYERS. BOX HAS A CLEAR CELLOPHANE TOP TO VIEW BULBS. SOME TOPS OF THE BALLS ARE BROKEN, AND OTHERS STILL HAVE METAL HANGERS.

HISTORY UNKNOWN. DATE IS APPROXIMATE.
**UPDATE 9 APRIL 2020: IN 2018, GALT COLLECTIONS ASSISTANT ELISE PUNDYK CONDUCTED A RELEVANCY AUDIT OF THE MUSEUM’S BOXED TEXTILE COLLECTION WHICH INCLUDED THE EXAMINATION OF A RECORD FOR A WEDDING GOWN (P19870048007) DONATED BY ELAINE MARTIN IN 1994. PUNDYK RE-CONNECTED WITH MARTIN ON APRIL 18TH 2018 TO SOLICIT NEW COMMENTS ON THE GOWN AS WELL AS NEW INFO ON OTHER EXISTING BY HER, INCL.: FUR COAT (P19870048001); QUILT (P19870048002); QUILT (P19870048003); COAT (P19870048006); WEDDING GOWN (P19870048007); RAIN GAUGE (P19940025001); PRESERVING JAR (P19940025002); CHRISTMAS ORNAMENT (P19970067000). PLEASE SEE PERMANENT FILE TO ACCESS THE INTERVIEW.

UKRAINIAN-CANADIAN HERITAGE.
*UPDATE* IN 2014 COLLECTIONS ASSISTANT JANE EDMUNDSON CONDUCTED A SURVEY OF ART OBJECTS, INCLUDING THOSE ASSOCIATED WITH THE DONORS. THE FOLLOWING DETAILS ABOUT THE DONORS, NICK AND ANN BORDENIUK, AND THE ORIGIN OF THE OBJECTS INCLUDED IN THEIR 1977 DONATION WERE FOUND IN A HANDWRITTEN NOTE FROM THE DONORS IN THE PERMANENT FILE. NICK BORDENIUK WAS BORN IN CZERNIWICI, UKRAINE ON MAY 20, 1895. HE FIRST CAME TO QUEBEC IN 1913, WORKING AS A MINER AND ON VARIOUS CONSTRUCTION SITES INCLUDING THAT OF THE ST. LAWRENCE BRIDGE IN 1916. IN 1922 HE ARRIVED IN LETHBRIDGE AND WORKED AT THE NO. 6 MINE. IN 1940 HE MOVED TO FERNIE, B.C. AND WORKED IN COAL CREEK UNTIL HIS RETIREMENT IN 1958. ANN BORDENIUK WAS BORN IN LWOW, UKRAINE AND MOVED TO HILLCREST, ALBERTA IN 1936. SHE ALSO MOVED TO FERNIE AND MARRIED NICK THERE IN 1955. IN 1976 THE BORDENIUKS MOVED FROM THEIR HOME INTO TOM UPHILL MANOR IN FERNIE, AND DONATED THEIR COLLECTION OF UKRAINIAN OBJECTS TO THE GALT MUSEUM. ALL OF THE OBJECTS WERE HANDMADE IN THE MOUNTAINOUS REGION OF KARPYTIAN IN WESTERN UKRAINE.
SEE PERMANENT FILE FOR HANDWRITTEN NOTE ON THE BIOGRAPHY OF THE DONORS.

UKRAINIAN-CANADIAN HERITAGE.
*UPDATE* IN 2015 COLLECTIONS ASSISTANT JANE EDMUNDSON CONDUCTED A SURVEY OF MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS, INCLUDING THREE DONATED BY THE UKRAINIAN ASSOCIATION OF LETHBRIDGE. THOUGH THE ASSOCIATION HAS DISBANDED, SHE WAS ABLE TO DETERMINE THAT IT IS LIKELY THAT THIS OBJECT AND 81 OTHERS DONATED BY THE ASSOCIATION IN 1973 WERE ORIGINALLY PART OF THE GALT MUSEUM'S 'UKRAINIAN ROOM' EXHIBIT. ACCORDING TO LETHBRIDGE HERALD ARTICLES FROM 1969 AND 1976, AND PHOTOGRAPHS IN THE GALT ARCHIVES (199110764419, 1991107612370, 199110764421, AND 199110764422) THE UKRAINIAN ROOM WAS INSTALLED IN 1966, WHEN THE MUSEUM WAS MOVED FROM THE BOWMAN CENTRE TO THE GALT HOSPITAL BUILDING. THE ROOM WAS FURNISHED WITH OBJECTS DONATED BY THE UKRAINIAN ASSOCIATION, AND THE GROUP HELD ANNUAL TEAS THERE. THOUGH THE CATALOGUE NUMBERS OF THE UKRAINIAN ASSOCIATION DONATION REFLECT A 1973 DONATION DATE, THE INITIAL ACQUISITION YEAR LISTED IN HARDCOPY FILES IS 1966, WHICH ALIGNS WITH THE OPENING DATE OF THE UKRAINIAN ROOM. IN ADDITION, ARCHIVAL PHOTOGRAPHS OF THE ROOM DEPICT OBJECTS THAT ARE NOW HELD IN COLLECTIONS (P19738277001-GA, P19738277002-GA, AND P19738277003-GA CAN BE CLEARLY IDENTIFIED, WITH OTHER OBJECTS IDENTIFIED SPECULATIVELY). IN 1984 THE MUSEUM DISMANTLED ALL ITS DISPLAYS IN PREPARATION FOR THE BUILDING'S RENOVATION AND EXPANSION, AND ACCORDING TO BRAD BROWN, GALT EXHIBIT DESIGNER, WHEN THE FACILITY REOPENED TO THE PUBLIC IN 1985 ALL THE EXHIBITS HAD BEEN REWORKED, AND THE UKRAINIAN ROOM NO LONGER EXISTED.
SEE PERMANENT FILE FOR HARDCOPIES OF NEWSPAPER ARTICLES.

.1 WINE COLOURED, WITH 2 LARGE STARBURST PATTERNS IN GREEN, YELLOW, BLUE, PINK. DESIGN EXPOSES WHITE SHELL.
.2 BLACK, WHITE, YELLOW, ORANGE, RED. DESIGN CONSISTS OF A NUMBER OF SMALL ELEMENTS, INCLUDING ROWS OF DIAMONDS. ENDS OF EGG HAVE BEEN LEFT WHITE.
.3 BLACK, WHITE, YELLOW, LIGHT ORANGE, GREEN. DESIGN IS BROKEN INTO FOUR QUADRANTS BY TWO WIDE, PERPENDICULAR, WHITE LINES, WITH DESIGNS WITHIN THEM. THE FOUR QUADRANTS ARE EACH BLACK WITH LIGHT ORANGE BORDERS.
.4 BLACK, WHITE, YELLOW, GREEN. BASE COLOUR IS BLACK. DESIGN IS BROKEN INTO 4 QUADRANTS BY TWO WIDE, PERPENDICULAR LINES THAT GO AROUND EGG LENGTHWISE. WITHIN THESE LINES ARE YELLOW LATTICE DESIGNS AND TRIANGLES WITH GREEN BORDERS AND FLOWERS WITHIN THEM. EACH OF THE FOUR QUADRANTS HAS A YELLOW FLOWER WITH GREEN STEMS AND LEAVES.
.5 BLACK, WHITE, GREEN, RED, ORANGE. THERE IS A ROW OF INTRICATE DIAMONDS AROUND CENTRE OF EGG (WIDTHWISE). EACH END OF EGG HAS A RED STAR, ONE END WITH A WHITE CENTER, AND THE OTHER WITH A RED AND BLACK CENTER.
.6 RED, WHITE, YELLOW, ORANGE. HAS A ROW OF WHITE FLOWERS GOING AROUND EGG, LENGTHWISE; 2 ROWS OF RED, YELLOW, AND ORANGE DIAMONDS GOING AROUND EGG LENGHTWISE, AND 2 LARGE RED OVALS WITH JAGGED YELLOW BORDERS.
.7 RED, YELLOW, PURPLE, MAROON, GREEN, WHITE. BASE COLOUR OF EGG IS RED WITH A MULTI-COLOURED GEOMETRIC PATTERN. ONE SIDE OF EGG IS FADED CONSIDERABLY. BOTH ENDS OF EGG HAVE HOLES IN THEM, WITH MEMBRANE OF EGG STILL VISIBLE (MEMBRANE TURNED BLACK). TRADITIONAL UKRAINIAN GEOMETRIC PATTERN.

UKRAINAIN-CANADIAN HERITAGE.
*UPDATE* IN 2015 COLLECTIONS ASSISTANT JANE EDMUNDSON CONDUCTED A SURVEY OF MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS, INCLUDING THREE DONATED BY THE UKRAINIAN ASSOCIATION OF LETHBRIDGE. THOUGH THE ASSOCIATION HAS DISBANDED, SHE WAS ABLE TO DETERMINE THAT IT IS LIKELY THAT THIS OBJECT AND 81 OTHERS DONATED BY THE ASSOCIATION IN 1973 WERE ORIGINALLY PART OF THE GALT MUSEUM'S 'UKRAINIAN ROOM' EXHIBIT. ACCORDING TO LETHBRIDGE HERALD ARTICLES FROM 1969 AND 1976, AND PHOTOGRAPHS IN THE GALT ARCHIVES (199110764419, 1991107612370, 199110764421, AND 199110764422) THE UKRAINIAN ROOM WAS INSTALLED IN 1966, WHEN THE MUSEUM WAS MOVED FROM THE BOWMAN CENTRE TO THE GALT HOSPITAL BUILDING. THE ROOM WAS FURNISHED WITH OBJECTS DONATED BY THE UKRAINIAN ASSOCIATION, AND THE GROUP HELD ANNUAL TEAS THERE. THOUGH THE CATALOGUE NUMBERS OF THE UKRAINIAN ASSOCIATION DONATION REFLECT A 1973 DONATION DATE, THE INITIAL ACQUISITION YEAR LISTED IN HARDCOPY FILES IS 1966, WHICH ALIGNS WITH THE OPENING DATE OF THE UKRAINIAN ROOM. IN ADDITION, ARCHIVAL PHOTOGRAPHS OF THE ROOM DEPICT OBJECTS THAT ARE NOW HELD IN COLLECTIONS (P19738277001-GA, P19738277002-GA, AND P19738277003-GA CAN BE CLEARLY IDENTIFIED, WITH OTHER OBJECTS IDENTIFIED SPECULATIVELY). IN 1984 THE MUSEUM DISMANTLED ALL ITS DISPLAYS IN PREPARATION FOR THE BUILDING'S RENOVATION AND EXPANSION, AND ACCORDING TO BRAD BROWN, GALT EXHIBIT DESIGNER, WHEN THE FACILITY REOPENED TO THE PUBLIC IN 1985 ALL THE EXHIBITS HAD BEEN REWORKED, AND THE UKRAINIAN ROOM NO LONGER EXISTED.
SEE PERMANENT FILE FOR HARDCOPIES OF NEWSPAPER ARTICLES.

PART OF SET WHICH INCLUDES, THREE DECORATED EGGS PYSKANKY (EASTER) & A DOILY. UKRAINIAN CANADIAN HERITAGE.
*UPDATE* IN 2015 COLLECTIONS ASSISTANT JANE EDMUNDSON CONDUCTED A SURVEY OF MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS, INCLUDING THREE DONATED BY THE UKRAINIAN ASSOCIATION OF LETHBRIDGE. THOUGH THE ASSOCIATION HAS DISBANDED, SHE WAS ABLE TO DETERMINE THAT IT IS LIKELY THAT THIS OBJECT AND 81 OTHERS DONATED BY THE ASSOCIATION IN 1973 WERE ORIGINALLY PART OF THE GALT MUSEUM'S 'UKRAINIAN ROOM' EXHIBIT. ACCORDING TO LETHBRIDGE HERALD ARTICLES FROM 1969 AND 1976, AND PHOTOGRAPHS IN THE GALT ARCHIVES (199110764419, 1991107612370, 199110764421, AND 199110764422) THE UKRAINIAN ROOM WAS INSTALLED IN 1966, WHEN THE MUSEUM WAS MOVED FROM THE BOWMAN CENTRE TO THE GALT HOSPITAL BUILDING. THE ROOM WAS FURNISHED WITH OBJECTS DONATED BY THE UKRAINIAN ASSOCIATION, AND THE GROUP HELD ANNUAL TEAS THERE. THOUGH THE CATALOGUE NUMBERS OF THE UKRAINIAN ASSOCIATION DONATION REFLECT A 1973 DONATION DATE, THE INITIAL ACQUISITION YEAR LISTED IN HARDCOPY FILES IS 1966, WHICH ALIGNS WITH THE OPENING DATE OF THE UKRAINIAN ROOM. IN ADDITION, ARCHIVAL PHOTOGRAPHS OF THE ROOM DEPICT OBJECTS THAT ARE NOW HELD IN COLLECTIONS (P19738277001-GA, P19738277002-GA, AND P19738277003-GA CAN BE CLEARLY IDENTIFIED, WITH OTHER OBJECTS IDENTIFIED SPECULATIVELY). IN 1984 THE MUSEUM DISMANTLED ALL ITS DISPLAYS IN PREPARATION FOR THE BUILDING'S RENOVATION AND EXPANSION, AND ACCORDING TO BRAD BROWN, GALT EXHIBIT DESIGNER, WHEN THE FACILITY REOPENED TO THE PUBLIC IN 1985 ALL THE EXHIBITS HAD BEEN REWORKED, AND THE UKRAINIAN ROOM NO LONGER EXISTED.
SEE PERMANENT FILE FOR HARDCOPIES OF NEWSPAPER ARTICLES.

PART OF SET WHICH INCLUDES, THREE DECORATED EGGS PYSKANKY (EASTER) & A DOILY. UKRAINIAN CANADIAN HERITAGE.
*UPDATE* IN 2015 COLLECTIONS ASSISTANT JANE EDMUNDSON CONDUCTED A SURVEY OF MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS, INCLUDING THREE DONATED BY THE UKRAINIAN ASSOCIATION OF LETHBRIDGE. THOUGH THE ASSOCIATION HAS DISBANDED, SHE WAS ABLE TO DETERMINE THAT IT IS LIKELY THAT THIS OBJECT AND 81 OTHERS DONATED BY THE ASSOCIATION IN 1973 WERE ORIGINALLY PART OF THE GALT MUSEUM'S 'UKRAINIAN ROOM' EXHIBIT. ACCORDING TO LETHBRIDGE HERALD ARTICLES FROM 1969 AND 1976, AND PHOTOGRAPHS IN THE GALT ARCHIVES (199110764419, 1991107612370, 199110764421, AND 199110764422) THE UKRAINIAN ROOM WAS INSTALLED IN 1966, WHEN THE MUSEUM WAS MOVED FROM THE BOWMAN CENTRE TO THE GALT HOSPITAL BUILDING. THE ROOM WAS FURNISHED WITH OBJECTS DONATED BY THE UKRAINIAN ASSOCIATION, AND THE GROUP HELD ANNUAL TEAS THERE. THOUGH THE CATALOGUE NUMBERS OF THE UKRAINIAN ASSOCIATION DONATION REFLECT A 1973 DONATION DATE, THE INITIAL ACQUISITION YEAR LISTED IN HARDCOPY FILES IS 1966, WHICH ALIGNS WITH THE OPENING DATE OF THE UKRAINIAN ROOM. IN ADDITION, ARCHIVAL PHOTOGRAPHS OF THE ROOM DEPICT OBJECTS THAT ARE NOW HELD IN COLLECTIONS (P19738277001-GA, P19738277002-GA, AND P19738277003-GA CAN BE CLEARLY IDENTIFIED, WITH OTHER OBJECTS IDENTIFIED SPECULATIVELY). IN 1984 THE MUSEUM DISMANTLED ALL ITS DISPLAYS IN PREPARATION FOR THE BUILDING'S RENOVATION AND EXPANSION, AND ACCORDING TO BRAD BROWN, GALT EXHIBIT DESIGNER, WHEN THE FACILITY REOPENED TO THE PUBLIC IN 1985 ALL THE EXHIBITS HAD BEEN REWORKED, AND THE UKRAINIAN ROOM NO LONGER EXISTED.
SEE PERMANENT FILE FOR HARDCOPIES OF NEWSPAPER ARTICLES.

1. CHASUBLE: 126 X 110CM PINK NYLON-POLYESTER GARMENT IS PONCHO STYLE CLOAK WITH SLIGHTLY TAPERED SHOULDERS. COLLAR IS ROUND WITH FLY OPENING AT BACK AND SNAP CLOSURE. CHASUBLE HAS GREEN LINING AND GREEN FELT STRIP DOWN CENTER OF BOTH SIDES. FRONT HAS LARGE GOLD LETTERS WITH GREEN EDGING THAT READ "IHS" WITH A SIMILAR STYLE CROWN ABOVE. SEWN INTO FRONT OF LINING ARE TWO LABELS. ONE READS "BY GASPARD GREATER LITURGICAL ART WINNIPEG CANADA". SECOND LABEL HAS "ORNEMENTS D'EGLISE GLOIRE CONFECTIONNES AU CANADA". BACK OF CHASUBLE HAS TWO SMALL WINE STAINS.
2. STOLE: 225 X 10CM STOLE MADE OF SAME MATERIAL AS CHASUBLE WITH IDENTICAL GREEN LINING. STOLE HAS GREEN FELT CHEVRON ON BOTH ENDS AND ENDS ARE TAPERED TO BROAD POINT. STOLE HAS CURVE CUT AT NECK WITH COTTON COLLAR WITH LACE. ALSO AT NECK IS GREEN FELT CROSS. STOLE HAS SMALL WINE STAIN.

TWO WOODEN PANELS, CARVED INTO RECTANGULAR SHAPES WITH ARCHED TOPS, FASTENED TOGETHER WITH TWO METAL HINGES AT BACK. SLATS OF WOOD ATTACHED WITH NAILS ALONG BOTTOM EDGE, TO ACT AS A BASE WHEN OBJECT STANDS VERTICALLY. PANELS ARE PAINTED WHITE AND MARBLED WITH GREEN AND RED STREAKS OF PAINT TO MIMIC STONE. HEBREW LETTERS ARE PAINTING ON THE FACE OF BOTH PANELS IN BLACK, AND EACH ARCHED TOP HAS A SYMMETRICAL FLOWER DESIGN IN BLACK. FLAKING, CHIPPING, AND PAINT LOSS THROUGHOUT; RUST ON METAL HINGES AND SCREWS.

ON MAY 14, 2014 COLLECTIONS TECH KEVIN MACLEAN INTERVIEWED THE DONOR, GARRY KOHN, ABOUT HIS ROLE IN LETHBRIDGE’S JEWISH COMMUNITY SINCE 1968 AND THE DONATION OF TWO RELATED ARTIFACTS, A STAR OF DAVID THAT WAS INSTALLED ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE BETH ISRAEL SYNAGOGUE BUILDING (P20130024002-GA) AND A HANDMADE REPRODUCTION OF THE TABLETS OF THE COVENANT (P20130024001-GA). REGARDING THIS ARTIFACT, KOHN SAID “I FOUND [IT] WHEN I WAS DOWN IN THE BASEMENT OF THE SYNAGOGUE –NOT THE BASEMENT, WHAT YOU CALL THE BOILER ROOM AND STORAGE AREA, AND THERE WAS A PORTION OF EVERYTHING THAT WAS UPSTAIRS THAT WASN’T NEEDED WAS JUST CHUCKED DOWN THERE SO THERE WAS ALL KINDS OF THINGS DOWN THERE. THERE WAS SCHOOL DESKS FROM THE CLASSROOMS, TO HADASSAH MEMORABILIA, THE HADASSAH BEING THE LADIES’ AUXILIARY TO THE JEWISH COMMUNITY. IT WAS ONE OF OUR ORGANIZATIONS. AND HERE WAS THIS SET OF TABLETS THAT WAS DOWN THERE. WHERE THEY ORIGINATED, I HAVE NO IDEA AND NOBODY THAT WAS AROUND COULD TELL US… AND I FOUND THEM AND I SAID, “NO.” THEY WENT UPSTAIRS AND THEY STAYED UPSTAIRS FOR MAYBE FIVE, SIX YEARS ON THE PLATFORM NEXT TO THE, ON THE STAGE AREA THAT WE USED TO CONDUCT SERVICES AND IT WAS ONE OF THOSE THINGS THAT I JUST MADE SURE ENDED UP IN MY POSSESSION SO THAT WE COULD HAVE IT. THEY COULD HAVE STAYED IN THE CHAPEL BUT IT WASN’T NECESSARY. I FELT THAT THAT WAS AN ARTIFACT, ALONG WITH THAT THAT SHOULD BE HELD BY THE CITY OF LETHBRIDGE AS AN ARTIFACT TO COMMEMORATE THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF THE LETHBRIDGE JEWISH COMMUNITY TO THE CITY… THEY’RE THE TEN COMMANDMENTS IN ABBREVIATED FORM – THE “THOU SHALTS AND THOU SHALT NOTS”, FIVE AND FIVE. THAT’S THE FOUNDATION OF JUDAISM AND CHRISTIANITY. THAT’S IMPORTANT, AND I THINK THAT’S A NEAT THING TO HAVE FOR ANYBODY TO BE ABLE TO SEE.”
REGARDING LETHBRIDGE'S JEWISH COMMUNITY KOHN SAID, “I AM CURRENTLY THE PRESIDENT OF THE LETHBRIDGE HEBREW CONGREGATION, AND PROBABLY THE RELIGIOUS CHAIRMAN, THE SPIRITUAL LEADER OF THE COMMUNITY BECAUSE WE DO NOT HAVE A RABBI AND I’M WELL ENOUGH VERSED TO CONDUCT SERVICES AND LEAD THE COMMUNITY ALONG WITH THE HELP OF ONE OTHER PERSON, MR. JOEL BERMACK… I’M NOT A RABBI BUT RABBI MEANS TEACHER AND LEADER OF THE SERVICES, THE RELIGIOUS SERVICES, AND THAT’S BASICALLY WHAT I DO. BEING PRESIDENT AND LEADER OF A SMALL CONGREGATION THAT NUMBERS MAYBE TEN FAMILIES NOW, AT THE MOST… IT’S AN AGING COMMUNITY; WE HAVE PEOPLE WHO ARE DYING OR PASSING AWAY. I CONDUCT THE FUNERAL SERVICES, MAYBE ONE OR TWO A YEAR. IN THE LAST TEN YEARS, I WOULD SAY, I’VE CONDUCTED FIFTEEN BURIALS. IT’S A DWINDLING COMMUNITY… WE DON’T HAVE MUCH LEFT OF A COMMUNITY IF YOU COMPARED IT TO THE CONTRIBUTING MEMBERS AND THE PEOPLE WHO WERE HERE IN 1956 WHEN THE SYNAGOGUE WAS DEDICATED AND AFTER IT WAS BUILT. IT’S THE VERY SHADOW OF ITSELF, OF A VERY VIBRANT COMMUNITY THAT WAS IN LETHBRIDGE, WITH PEOPLE FROM VARIOUS WALKS OF LIFE, A LOT OF THEM BUSINESS PEOPLE, AND MAJOR PLAYERS IN THE DOWNTOWN LETHBRIDGE CORE… IT WAS SUCH A TIGHT COMMUNITY AND SO WELL KNOWN THAT NOBODY DATED EACH OTHER; THEY JUST DID EVERYTHING TOGETHER IN THE YOUTH GROUPS AND THAT TYPE OF THING. AND FOR AS MANY PEOPLE AS THERE WERE, AFTER HIGH SCHOOL AND THAT, THEY HEADED OUT AND FOUND PARTNERS ELSEWHERE… WHEN WE HAVE TO HAVE A RELIGIOUS SERVICE IN THE JEWISH FAITH, YOU HAVE TO HAVE TEN PEOPLE THERE, TEN MEN THEY SAY. THE CONSERVATIVE AND ORTHODOX BEND THAT TO INCLUDE WOMEN. IF YOU WANT TO SAY THE MEMORIAL PRAYER FOR THE ANNIVERSARY OF THE DEATH OF A PARENT, CALLED THE KADDISH, YOU HAVE TO HAVE TEN PEOPLE. IT’S REALLY TOUGH TO GET TEN PEOPLE ON ANY GIVEN DAY TO COME. ON THE HOLIEST DAY OF THE YEAR, YOM KIPPUR, THE DAY OF ATONEMENT, LAST YEAR WE HAD FIFTEEN PEOPLE. AND YOU HAVE TO HAVE THEM; YOU HAVE TO KEEP THAT QUORUM FOR THE ENTIRE LENGTH OF THE SERVICE, WHICH IS A MORNING SERVICE FROM NINE TILL TWELVE THIRTY OR TO ONE O’CLOCK. AND A LATE AFTERNOON AND EVENING SERVICE WHICH IS ANOTHER THREE HOURS. IT’S TOUGH TO KEEP PEOPLE WHO AREN’T OVERLY OBSERVANT IN THEIR FAITH, TO TIE THEM DOWN FOR THAT LENGTH OF TIME. AND YET IT’S THE OLD STORY, WHEN YOUR BACK’S AGAINST THE WALL, IF SOMEBODY EVER SAID ANYTHING OR MADE DEROGATORY COMMENTS, THEY WOULD COME, THEY WOULD BE AT THE FOREFRONT FOR DEFENSE. SO I AM INTENSELY PROUD OF MY HERITAGE. I THINK YOU’VE PROVED THAT ONE OUT, BUT WE DON’T GO OUT AND PREACH IT. IT’S NOT ALLOWED IN OUR FAITH… WHEN I CAME IN ’68, EVEN SOME OF THE PEOPLE WHO WERE HERE IN ’56 HAD PASSED ON, AND SO I DIDN’T KNOW SOME OF THEM BUT IT WAS A PRETTY VIBRANT COMMUNITY. WHEN WE HELD OUR SERVICES WE HAD A RABBI IN THOSE DAYS AND SERVICES WERE HELD FOR FRIDAY NIGHT AND SATURDAY MORNING SERVICES. WE HAD SUNDAY SCHOOL FOR THE CHILDREN IN THOSE DAYS, AND THAT WAS BEFORE WE’D HAD OUR CHILDREN. BY THE TIME WE HAD OUR CHILD IN 1974, THERE WAS NO LONGER A RABBI HERE, RABBI KALMAR BEING THE LAST ONE, WHO MOVED ON TO CALGARY. HE WAS SOMEWHAT OF A CHALLENGE FOR THE COMMUNITY HIMSELF, AND DIDN’T QUITE FIT THE BILL HERE, AND SO AT THAT POINT THERE WAS NOT ENOUGH OF A COMMUNITY TO ATTRACT A FULLTIME RABBI… SO FOR THE HOLY DAYS, THE HIGH HOLY DAYS, WE WOULD IMPORT A TEACHER OR AN EDUCATED PERSON OR SOMEBODY WHO COULD LEAD THE SERVICES, THAT WAS FULLY FAMILIAR, FROM CALGARY OR VANCOUVER TO WOULD COME IN FOR ROSH HASHANAH, THE NEW YEAR, OR YOM KIPPUR, THE DAY OF ATONEMENT, TEN DAYS LATER, AND LEAD THE SERVICES FOR THE CONGREGATION THERE. FOR THE REST OF THE YEAR, WE HAD ENOUGH PEOPLE WERE STILL CONVERSANT WITH THE RITUALS, THE PRACTICES, THE HEBREW, THE LITURGY, WHO COULD LEAD THE SERVICES BETTER THAN I CAN – SOME OF THE OLDER PEOPLE. SO WE JUST DID OUR OWN THING, AND WE DID IT… THIS NUMBER OF FAMILIES, CONSIDERING WHAT HAD BEEN DONE, FOR THE NUMBER OF FAMILIES WE HAD, WAS PRETTY IMPRESSIVE IN TERMS OF COMMITMENT TO THE LETHBRIDGE COMMUNITY AND INTEGRATION INTO IT. THE LETHBRIDGE JEWISH COMMUNITY DID NOT SECULARIZE ITSELF OR INSULATE ITSELF. WE TRIED TO BE ACTIVE IN ALL ASPECTS OF THE SOCIAL LIFE, THE FABRIC OF THE COMMUNITY… I WAS ONE OF THE ORIGINAL BOARD MEMBERS OF THE SOUTHERN ALBERTA ART GALLERY. I AND SEVERAL OTHER PEOPLE WERE MEMBERS OF THE KIWANIS CLUB. I CHAIRED THE MUSIC FESTIVAL FOR FIVE YEARS… THE OTHERS, MORE SO JUST IN BUSINESS AND BEING GOOD CORPORATE MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY, I WOULD SAY THAT… WE RAISE MONEY, AND AT FIRST HALF THE MONEY WAS KEPT TO SUPPORT AND SUBSIDIZE THE SYNAGOGUE BECAUSE OUR DUES COULDN’T DO THAT, AND THE OTHER HALF WAS GIVEN AWAY INTO THE LETHBRIDGE COMMUNITY. SO FOR YEARS… WE HAVE SUPPORTED, WE HAVE DONE THINGS LIKE UH, FURNISHED ROOMS AT ST. MICHAEL’S; AT THE REGIONAL HOSPITAL OVER THE YEARS. WE HAVE SCHOLARSHIPS FOR OUR COMMUNITY AT ALL THE HIGH SCHOOLS INCLUDING THE CATHOLIC SCHOOLS. WE HAVE SUPPORTED A NUMBER OF OTHER ORGANIZATIONS IN TOWN – THE BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB, THE HABITAT FOR HUMANITY, TO THE TUNE OF WELL IN EXCESS OF $5000 TO $7000 A YEAR. NOW THAT WE DON’T HAVE A SYNAGOGUE, ALL OF IT IS GOING TO IT, FOR THE PAST FOUR YEARS WE’VE GIVEN $5000 AND $6000 STRAIGHT OUT TO THE KIWANIS MUSIC FESTIVAL FOUNDATION… THE MONEY THAT WE RAISE GOES TO THAT, SO THAT’S PART OF THE CORPORATE CITIZENRY THAT WE TRY TO MAINTAIN. WE’VE MADE OUR LIVINGS HERE; THIS IS HOW WE CAN GIVE BACK TO THE COMMUNITY… [A FEW YEARS AGO] WE REALIZED HOW THE COMMUNITY WAS GETTING SMALLER AND SMALLER. THE COST OF KEEPING UP A BUILDING, ALTHOUGH THERE WAS NO TAXES TO PAY BECAUSE CHURCHES ARE EXEMPT FROM PROPERTY TAXES, THE MAINTENANCE ON A BUILDING AND HEATING IT IN WINTER TIME, WHETHER IT WAS USED OR NOT - OF 6700 SQUARE FEET - IT WAS PRETTY OLD, AND AS THE POPULATION WAS DWINDLING, HOW MUCH CAN YOU ASK PEOPLE TO GIVE TO SUPPORT SOMETHING THAT ONLY GETS USED A HALF DOZEN DAYS OF THE YEAR?... SO WE HAD A MEETING AND DECIDED THAT WE SHOULD TAKE A LOOK AND SEE WHAT WE COULD DO, IF WE COULD SELL THE BUILDING. THE IDEA WAS TO TRY AND GET A PLAN, A SUCCESSION PLAN, THAT, IF WE DID SELL IT, THEN WHAT WOULD WE DO? WE STILL WANTED A PLACE TO GATHER. WE DIDN’T WANT TO RENT A ROOM RANDOMLY IN A MALL OR A STRUCTURE OF SOME SORT, AND IT WAS ONLY THROUGH – WE PUT A SIGN IN THE WINDOW THAT IT WAS FOR SALE AND WE HAD ONE OR TWO PEOPLE CALL AND SAY THAT THEY MIGHT BE INTERESTED, BUT NOTHING THAT REALLY CAME TO FRUITION. IT WAS GOING TO BE AN EXPENSIVE PROPOSITION FOR EVERYBODY, BECAUSE WE HAD THE BUILDING APPRAISED, AND IT WAS WORTH A FAIR CHUNK OF COIN. BUT IT WAS GOING TO NEED SOME UPGRADING AND THAT TYPE OF THING. WELL, IN A CASUAL CONVERSATION OVER LUNCH AND CHATTING WITH ART FERRARI AND DAN WESTWOOD, MORE ART FERRARI, WHO WAS A GOOD FRIEND OF LES CALMAN AND MYSELF AND DAN SHAPIRO, HE SAID, “YOU KNOW, YOUR PREDECESSORS DESIGNED THIS BUILDING. YOU’RE IN A PRETTY SMALL SPACE ON 13TH STREET NORTH AND YOU’RE GROWING AND YOU’RE VERY BUSY, WHY DON’T YOU TAKE A LOOK AT THIS?” AND WE HAD A COUPLE OF LUNCHEONS AND IT JUST FELL, IT CAME TOGETHER. AND ART HAD WORKED FOR A JEWISH FAMILY WHEN HE WAS IN HIGH SCHOOL. HE’D WORKED FOR THE SCHECTORS AT HERB’S WESTERN WEAR AND HE HAD A LOVE FOR SOME OF THE PEOPLE HERE AND A RESPECT FOR THEM; LET’S PUT IT THAT WAY. AND HE SAID, “I’LL TELL YOU WHAT.” I SAID, “WE COULD LEASE YOU THE BUILDING AND KEEP THE SMALL SANCTUARY AND YOU COULD DO THE RENOVATION ON THE REST, AND HE SAID, “NO”, HE SAID, “HOW ABOUT WE BUY THE BUILDING FOR A MUTUALLY AGREED UPON APPRAISED PRICE, MINUS EXPENSES THAT WOULD BE ENCUMBERED WITH IT, THE SOIL TESTING AND THAT TYPE OF THING THAT HAS TO BE DONE”, HE SAYS, “AND WE’LL LEASE YOU BACK THE CHAPEL AS PART OF THE CONSIDERATION AGAINST THE ASKING PRICE. WE’LL LEASE IT TO YOU FOR NOTHING, FOR A DOLLAR, FOR TEN YEARS.”… AND THAT JUST FELL TOGETHER, SO WE DID A MINOR RENOVATION, REDECORATING AND REPAINTING AND FIX-UP OF THE SMALL CHAPEL, WHICH IS 600 SQ. FT. AND IT’S GOT A SMALL OFFICE, A 10 X 10 ROOM, IF THAT - 8 X 10? AND THEY TOOK OVER THE REST OF THE BUILDING [IN 2010]… IT’S BEEN A WONDERFUL RELATIONSHIP… THERE IS A JEWISH PRESENCE IN LETHBRIDGE STILL, EVEN THOUGH VERY MINUTE, AND WE TRY AND INVOLVE OURSELVES IN OTHER AREAS OF THE COMMUNITY TO LET PEOPLE KNOW THAT WE WANT TO BE GOOD CITIZENS AND PART OF THE CULTURAL FABRIC OF THE LETHBRIDGE COMMUNITY… “
SEE PERMANENT FILE FOR A TRANSCRIPT OF THE INTERVIEW, AND HARDCOPIES OF THE PROGRAM FROM THE 1956 DEDICATION SERVICE OF THE BETH ISRAEL SYNAGOGUE AND THE BOOK ‘LAND OF PROMISE; THE JEWISH EXPERIENCE IN SOUTHERN ALBERTA’.

HEAVY COTTON FLAG IS RED, HAS IN TOP LEFT BLUE RECTANGLE SEWN ON WITH WHITE PAINTED SUN (WHITE CIRCLE WITH SMALL TRIANGLES RADIATING AROUND IT). ALONG LEFT SIDE IS WHITE VERTICAL MATERIAL FOLDED OVER EACH SIDE OF FLAG TO MAKE COVER FOR ROPE OR POLE FOR FLAG TO FLY ON. PAINT IS CRACKED AND IS HELD TOGETHER BY TAPE.

FLAG OF THE REPUBLIC OF CHINA, IN THE PROVINCE OF TAIWAN. IN 1949, THE KUOMINTANG NATIONALIST PARTY WAS DEFEATED BY THE COMMUNIST REVOLUTION IN CHINA, AFTER WHICH PRESIDENT CHIANG AND HIS SUPPORTERS WITHDREW FROM MAINLAND CHINA TO TAIWAN. THERE THEY ESTABLISHED A KUOMINTANG (KMT) REGIME, WHICH CONTINUED IN OPPOSITION TO THE PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF CHINA PROCLAIMED IN 1949.
*UPDATE* IN 2014 COLLECTIONS ASSISTANT JANE EDMUNDSON CONDUCTED A SURVEY OF ART OBJECTS, INCLUDING ONE DONATED AS PART OF THE ING ESTATE (P19950073023). SHE EXTRACTED THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION ON THE ING FAMILY FROM PERMANENT FILE P19950073001, WHICH CONTAINS A TRANSCRIPT OF THE INTERVIEW COLLECTIONS TECH KEVIN MACLEAN CONDUCTED WITH HAROLD ING JR., SON OF HAROLD AND MYRA, IN HIS ROOM AT THE LETHBRIDGE HOTEL IN SEPTEMBER 2005. MYRA WAS BORN IN GOLDEN B.C. TO SHIN-BOW AND CHOW TING RAH; HER FATHER ORGINALLY EMIGRATED TO CANADA TO WORK ON CANADIAN RAILWAY CONSTRUCTION AND LATER BECAME A RESTAURANTEUR, WHERE MYRA DEVELOPED HER ENGLISH SKILLS AS A WAITRESS. "IN 1906 MY DAD [HAROLD ING SR.] LEFT HONG KONG FOR VANCOUVER, HE COULDN'T SPEAK ENGLISH... HE'S GOT TO BE A WAITER, A BUSBOY... AND HE LEARNED ALL THE WAY UP, IN THE MEANTIME PICKING UP ENGLISH... WENT TO WINNIPEG. THIS IS BEFORE ME. BY THEN HE KNEW THE WHOLE SYSTEM OF RESTAURANTING." MYRA AND HAROLD SR. MARRIED AND ADOPTED HAROLD JR. WHEN HE WAS BORN INTO A POOR FAMILY OF ELEVEN IN 1944, IN VANCOUVER. "ME AND MY TWIN SISTER WERE SOLD BECAUSE THERE WERE JUST TOO MANY. SO DAD, MY MOM PICKED ME AND DAD SAID YES THAT'S GOOD... I DON'T KNOW WHERE MY SISTER IS... THERE'S NO WAY OF FINDING OUT." THE ING FAMILY SETTLED IN LETHBRIDGE IN THE LATE 1940S, AND HAROLD SR. OWNS AND OPERATES THE NEW MOON CAFE AND TWO GROCERIES, WHICH ARE RUN BY THE FAMILY AND NEW CHINESE IMMIGRANTS THAT HAROLD SR. SPONSORED. "AT APPROXIMATELY FIVE YEARS OLD [MY FATHER] INTRODUCED ME TO THE NEW MOON CAFE, AND I WAS A BUSBOY AT THE AGE OF FIVE... IN 1951 HE SHOWED ME MY FIRST HUNDRED DOLLAR BILL... BECAUSE HE WAS THE OWNER... HE'D WAKE UP AT FIVE IN THE MORNING TO GO TO THE CAFE, OFF AND ON TO THE GROCERY STORE AND MIGHT BE DONE AT EIGHT AT NIGHT, SUPPER AND IMMEDIATELY TO CHINATOWN [FOR] GAMBLING, PUTTING DOWN MAH JONG." HAROLD JR. ATTENDED WESTMINISTER ELEMENTARY SCHOOL DURING THE DAY, AND CHINESE SCHOOL AT THE CHINESE NATIONAL LEAGUE IN THE EVENINGS - HIS FATHER WAS THE PRESIDENT OF THE NATIONAL LEAGUE, AND THE ORGANIZATION RAN THE SCHOOL, CULTURAL CELEBRATIONS, FILM SCREENINGS, AND BANQUETS, FUNDED BY MEMBERSHIP FEES. HAROLD'S YOUNGER BROTHER, CALVIN, "GOT SENT TO A BOARDING SCHOOL SOMEWHERE. HE WAS GIFTED, BUT HE HAD A BYPASS SURGERY, HE HAD SOMETHING WRONG WITH HIS HEART. HE COULDN'T HANDLE PUBLIC SCHOOL, SO THEY SENT HIM TO B.C." AFTER HIGH SCHOOL AND A BRIEF STINT IN CALGARY, HAROLD JR. RAN ING'S GROCERY FOR HIS FATHER, AND IN THE LATE 1960S AND EARLY 70S ALSO WORKED AS A PHOTOGRAPHER FOR THE LETHBRIDGE HERALD AND A SALESMAN AT SEARS. BOTH HAROLD SR. AND MYRA ING PASSED AWAY IN THE 1990S, AND THE OBJECTS ENCOMPASSING DONATION P19950073001-231 WERE COLLECTED FROM THE FAMILY HOME.
FOR A COMPLETE TRANSCRIPT OF THE INTERVIEW, COPIES OF PHOTOGRAPHS AND WRITTEN DETAILS ON THE CHINESE NATIONAL LEAGUE, SEE PERMANENT FILE.